[2]

As soon as I stepped back into the apartment, the warm, savory aroma of breakfast greeted me. Inko was busy in the kitchen, the clattering of utensils and the sizzle of food filling the air. With one arm held behind my back, I carefully concealed the smut novel I'd acquired, making my way as quietly as possible toward my new bedroom. Thankfully, Inko didn't glance back as I passed by, but she did call out to let me know breakfast would be ready in just a few more minutes.

"Okay, mama! I'll be back in a moment—I just need to use the restroom first," I responded, trying to sound casual. I glanced over my shoulder to see her focused on cooking, her back to me. Perfect. Humming in acknowledgment so she knew I'd heard her, I turned around and quickly slipped into my bedroom.

Once inside, I made a beeline for the bed, crouching down to toss the book as far as I could into the corner, where it landed neatly against the wall. Breathing out a sigh of relief, I stood up and glanced around the room. Satisfied that my little secret was safely hidden, I shrugged and quietly exited the bedroom, heading straight for the restroom.

I really did need to go, so it wasn't just an excuse. Standing there, I finally took a moment to process the fact that I was in the body of a four-year-old. The realization hit hard as I glanced down at my dick, and quickly decided the ceiling was much more interesting to look at. Once finished, I flushed the toilet, washed my hands, and made my way back out, my footsteps just loud enough for Inko to hear as I approached the kitchen.

When I walked back in, Inko, now without her apron, turned toward me with a smile. "Could you help me set the table, sweetie?" she asked, gesturing toward the plates.

"Of course, mama!" I replied eagerly, my stomach giving a near-silent grumble as the smell of breakfast wafted through the room. Together, we set the table, and the anticipation of the meal made my mouth water.

Finally, we both sat down, Inko across from me, her apron no longer in sight. I glanced down at the spread before me—simple, yet delicious-looking. My lips involuntarily curled into a smile as I licked them, ready to dig in. But just as I was about to dive in, I remembered the importance of giving thanks before eating, something deeply ingrained in Japanese culture. Back in the States, growing up in the South, I had been raised with manners too, but this was a bit different.

Drawing on Izuku's memories, I clapped my hands together and quietly muttered, "Itadakimasu," in unison with Inko. With the brief ritual complete, I eagerly started on my meal. The first bite was heavenly, and I found myself eating with a ravenous hunger that I hadn't realized I had.

Inko noticed, of course. She smiled softly, clearly pleased that I was enjoying the food so much. From what I could taste, she was an amazing cook, and I could definitely get used to this.

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After a short break on the couch to let my breakfast settle, I could feel my energy returning. My stomach was full, and I felt a bit more lively. With a bit of persuasion, I managed to convince Inko to take me to a nearby park. I told her I wanted to start exercising to get strong like All Might, which seemed to do the trick. Of course, it was just an excuse. I knew I was only four years old and had a long way to go before I could even think about lifting weights or doing any real workouts. For now, running around and playing outside would be enough.

But that wasn't the real reason I wanted to get out. I was curious if the system would give me some kind of quest. I needed to earn the system's currency if I wanted to buy anything from its shop. So far, I had none. Maybe I could earn some Gacha tokens or even unlock an item or quirk without needing a token at all in the first place. The possibilities made my mind race.

Taking a deep breath of the fresh air, I walked beside Inko, my small hand held securely in hers. She looked down at me with a smile, raising an eyebrow as she noticed my exaggerated inhale. I looked up at her and gave her a big, cheesy grin. "Just enjoying the weather, mama," I said brightly.

Inko giggled, her expression softening as she hummed in agreement. "It does feel nice out today," she replied, turning her gaze back to the path ahead. As we got closer to the park's entrance—a neat archway leading to a concrete path surrounded by trimmed bushes—the sounds of children playing grew louder. I soon spotted a group of kids kicking around a scruffy-looking ball, divided into two makeshift teams.

A grin spread across my face a few seconds later. I couldn't wait to join them. I gave Inko's hand a couple of eager tugs, pointing to the group of kids. She hesitated, probably thinking about how the original Izuku had just recently started getting bullied for not having gotten a quirk at the age that they were most likely to manifest. But after a moment, she let go of my hand. That was all the permission I needed—I took off running toward the game.

I glanced back one last time and saw Inko heading for a nearby bench to watch me play. But I wasn't thinking about her anymore. My excitement wasn't even about playing with the other children; it was because the system had just given me my first quest.

Unlike all of the kids simply having fun, not really taking the game seriously, I was going to intently put a certain amount of pressure on myself for this.

I needed to win.

That was the main objective of the quest, after all, and if I failed in the process, those potential rewards weren't ever going to be mine.